Nairobi National Park and Elephant Orphanage Tour

The Listing Itinerary

A van collects you in Nairobi for the roughly 30-minute run to Nairobi National Park. The game drive is listed at 4 hours, then a 15-minute transfer reaches the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for the 80-minute visit. From there a 15-minute drive leads to the optional Kazuri Beads Factory stop of 45 minutes and the optional 1-hour lunch at a local restaurant.

The Giraffe Centre visit is listed at 1.5 hours, then a 30-minute van run returns you to Nairobi. The listing does not print clock times for each stage, only durations.

Why the Sheldrick Window Shapes the Day

The Sheldrick nursery's public visit runs daily from 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon except December 25th, and it cannot be delayed or extended for late arrivals. Because the park gates open at 6:00 AM, a single morning can hold an early game drive and still reach the nursery through the KWS Mbagathi Gate on Magadi Road in time for the 11am slot. The 80-minute stop in the listing fits inside that hour window.

If the optional lunch and Kazuri stops are taken, the day stretches past the listed 6 hours.

Included on the Listing

The listing ticks four things: convenient pickup and drop-off, a professional tour guide, transportation in a safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, and bottled drinking water. An audio guide in English, French and Spanish is included. A live French or Spanish guide costs $15 per booking.

Reserve now and pay later is available, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start.

Paid Separately, and One Conflict to Know

The listing says all three entry fees are paid in cash on the day: $80 per adult and $40 per child for the park, $20 per person for the elephant orphanage and $15 per person for the Giraffe Centre. The official picture differs. KWS has visitors pay park fees through the KWSPay portal, which takes M-Pesa, Visa card and bank transfer. The Giraffe Centre accepts only M-Pesa, Visa or Mastercard and states plainly that cash is not accepted. Only the Sheldrick visit is genuinely cash on the day at $20 per adult and $5 per child under 12. Bring cards and M-Pesa as well as cash, and confirm the payment method with the operator when you book. Check the current KWS rates yourself on KWSPay.

The Trust also books visitors only through its own office and says it does not accept bookings made through Viator, GetYourGuide or Tripadvisor. The tour includes the drive and the visit slot as its listing says. Ask the operator how the Sheldrick booking is secured before you pay.

The Stated Limits

The listing says the group can reach up to 100 people. That means a van convoy and no promise of a window seat, which matters in a park where you must stay in the vehicle. It is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and no minimum age is stated either way.

The day is long for a 6-hour label once the two optional stops are added, and the $40 price sits next to a KWS park fee of $80 per adult that comes close to doubling the real bill. At 4.6 from 631 reviews the listing has solid volume, so the rating itself is not the problem.

What to Book Instead

If you want the same three stops with a smaller group, the Park, Elephants and Giraffes Shared Day runs shared at $35 with a 4.7 rating from 1,585 reviews. If you want the three stops with nobody else in the vehicle, the Private Park, Elephants and Giraffes is a private 7-hour 4x4 day at $100 per person. If you only care about the game drive, a half-day game drive skips the orphanage queues entirely.

Or compare the full range of Nairobi National Park safari tours before you decide.

Pay the KWS Fee Before the Day

Independent visitors pay KWS park fees through the KWSPay portal at kwspay.ecitizen.go.ke, which takes M-Pesa, Visa card and bank transfer through KCB, ABSA or Equity Bank. Nairobi National Park entry for non-residents is $80 per adult and $40 per child on the current KWS conservation fee schedule. The listing asks you to bring cash instead, which does not match how KWS takes payment.

Ask the operator whether they buy the tickets on KWSPay for the group or expect you to. The day uses the park's Langata-side gates, and the nursery is reached through the KWS Mbagathi Gate on Magadi Road.

Gates, Wildlife and Seasons

Gates open at 6:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM. The park covers 117 square kilometers and sits about 8 km from the Nairobi CBD by KWS's routing text. It hosts over 100 mammal species and four of the Big Five, with no elephants in the park.

The elephants of this day are the orphans at the Sheldrick nursery. Three resident lion prides live here, named Kingfisher, Athi and Mokoyet, and more than 400 bird species are recorded. KWS names July to December and December to March as high season for game viewing, and April to June as the low season when the long rains leave some tracks muddy.

Read more on gates, hours and getting there and the best time to visit.

What to Bring

KWS's visitor tips list clean drinking water, a camera, binoculars, sunscreen, insect repellent and sunglasses. Its general packing guidance adds layerable, loose-fitting, earth-toned clothing, a hat, lace-up shoes and a small medical kit. Carry cash for the Sheldrick $20, plus a card or M-Pesa for the Giraffe Centre, which refuses cash.

Single-use plastic is banned across all KWS parks, so bring a refillable bottle. In the park you must stay in the vehicle, keep at least 20 meters from wildlife, and the speed limit is 40 km/h.